Method for calibrating driving amount of actuator configured to correct blurring of image taken by camera

Abstract

A method for calibrating a driving amount of an actuator configured to correct blurring of an image taken by a camera attached to a device includes: taking an image of a mark by a camera to generate a first image, the mark reflecting a predetermined posture of the device; detecting a tilt of the mark in the first image; and based on the tilt of the mark, correcting the driving amount of the actuator that is predetermined according to a sensing result of a sensor for sensing a change in a posture of the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 taking an image of a mark by a camera to generate a first image, the mark reflecting a predetermined posture of a device to which the camera is attached; 
 detecting a tilt of the mark in the first image; and 
 correcting a driving amount of an actuator for correcting blurring of an image taken by the camera based on the tilt of the mark, the driving amount being predetermined according to a sensing result of a sensor for sensing a change in a posture of the device, wherein 
 the camera includes
 an image sensor configured by an imaging element, and 
 a lens for forming an image of light on the image sensor, the method further comprising: 
 
 after causing the actuator to act on the lens or the image sensor from a state where the first image is taken, taking an image of the mark by the camera to generate a second image; 
 calculating a difference between a position of the mark in the first image and a position of the mark in the second image; and 
 based on the difference, correcting the driving amount of the actuator that is predetermined according to the sensing result of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a gyro sensor. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the mark has a shape specifying an axis direction of the gyro sensor. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the tilt of the mark includes a tilt of an axis of the actuator relative to an axis of the gyro sensor. 
     
     
       5. A method comprising:
 taking an image of a mark by a camera to generate a first image, the mark reflecting a predetermined posture of a device to which the camera is attached; 
 detecting a tilt of the mark in the first image; and 
 correction a driving amount of an actuator for correcting blurring of an image taken by the camera based on the tilt of the mark, the driving amount being predetermined according to a sensing result of a sensor for sensing a change in a posture of the device, wherein 
 the correcting the driving amount of the actuator includes
 referring to a lookup table including a memory storing a tilt and a correction value that are associated with each other, to specify a correction coefficient in accordance with the tilt of the mark; and 
 based on the specified correction coefficient, correcting the driving amount of the actuator that is predetermined according to the sensing result of the sensor. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes a gyro sensor. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the mark has a shape specifying an axis direction of the gyro sensor. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the tilt of the mark includes a tilt of an axis of the actuator relative to an axis of the gyro sensor. 
     
     
       9. A method comprising:
 taking an image of a mark by a camera to generate a first image, the mark reflecting a predetermined posture of a device to which the camera is attached; 
 detecting a tilt of the mark in the first image; and 
 correcting a driving amount of an actuator for correcting blurring of an image taken by the camera based on the tilt of the mark, the driving amount being predetermined according to a sensing result of a sensor for sensing a change in a posture of the device, wherein 
 the correcting the driving amount of the actuator includes:
 referring to a relational expression between a tilt and a correction value stored in a memory, to specify a correction coefficient in accordance with the tilt of the mark; and 
 based on the specified correction coefficient, correcting the driving amount of the actuator that is predetermined according to the sensing result of the sensor. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the sensor includes a gyro sensor. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the mark has a shape specifying an axis direction of the gyro sensor. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the tilt of the mark includes a tilt of an axis of the actuator relative to an axis of the gyro sensor. 
     
     
       13. A method comprising:
 swinging a device having a camera attached thereto in a direction about a prescribed axis of an actuator configured to correct blurring of an image taken by the camera; 
 during swinging of the device, detecting an amount of change in an output from a gyro sensor for sensing a change in a posture of the device, the amount of change being defined along a first direction extending in a direction that is approximately identical to the prescribed axis, and along a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; and 
 based on a ratio between the amount of change in the output from the gyro sensor along the first direction and the amount of change in the output from the gyro sensor along the second direction, correcting a driving amount of the actuator that is predetermined according to a sensing result of the gyro sensor.